On Friday’s super-G in Kitzbühel, Austria, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Bryce Bennett led the way in 19th place. It was his best super-G result at this venue. Jared Goldberg was 22nd and Wiley Maple rounded out the points for the U.S. in 29th. 

“I have been skiing good super-G and it was alright, but it was more about trying to figure out the edges,” said Bennett. “It was almost like another training run for me. I’ve been struggling with ice and we tried a new solution today. We are really close and I feel confident to be dialed in for tomorrow.”

After rain overnight in the valley, the surface firmed up nicely for the top of the race. However the sun came in and out throughout the race day, making for a crash-ridden day. The first bib did not finish, which meant Ryan Cochran-Siegle, running bib 2, was the first man to make it down the course. Cochran-Siegle skied a bit conservatively, coupled with a costly mistake which left him out of the top 30. 

With multiple crashes and helicopter evacuations causing course holds throughout the day, it was a long race. The French team was particularly victimized, with former World Cup overall champion Alexis Pinturault suffering a fracture, bone bruise and knee injury. Almost all of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men were stuck in the start gate for a while while the course was fixed. 

“I felt like I pushed through a lot of boundaries mentally with Pinturault being helicoptered away right before I went,” said Goldberg. “I watched a lot of guys go before me lose skis so I knew from inspection that it was going to be pretty gnarly and I was hoping that I would be able to step on the ski and just plow through that stuff.” 

Goldberg's strong performance in 22nd place will give him confidence into Saturday's downhill, a race where he had his best downhill result two years prior.

But the day belonged to Bennett, who stole the show for the U.S., popping in one of his best super-G results and the best super-G finish at Kitzbühel.

The winner of the race was none other than Swiss skier Marco Odermatt for his first win at the venue. In second was Austrian Raphael Haaser and Swiss skier Stefan Rogentin was third. Cochran-Siegle, River Radamus and Kyle Negomir also raced and landed in 32nd, 34th and 39th. Sam Morse did not finish but is OK.

It was clear however that the true Hahnenkamm day is on Saturday for the downhill. The downhill has already sold out of tickets and will surely bring in the lively and electric atmosphere that makes the race iconic. 

“I’ve been enjoying the classic World Cup downhill schedule so you can put all of your eggs in one basket and focus," said Bennett. "Connecting all the sections here top to bottom and carrying speed onto the road is so important. The easy things are key here.”

The race will be live and on-demand on Peacock, and on tape delay on NBC.

RESULTS
Men's super-G

HOW TO WATCH

Saturday, Jan. 25
5:30 a.m. ET - men’s downhill, Kitzbühel, AUT - LIVE on Peacock 
12:30 p.m. ET - men’s downhill, Kitzbühel, AUT - TAPE DELAY on NBC

Paula Moltzan skied to her first career giant slalom podium in Kronplatz, Italy, taking third place. The Stifel U.S. Ski Team women followed her up with stellar results: Nina O’Brien in 10th place, AJ Hurt in 13th and Katie Hensien 21st.

"I am not sure how it's possible but I told myself second run that I wanted to ski strong and I gave it my all," said Moltzan. "I made some mistakes but recovered well and I am so happy." 

It was a bright and sunny day in the Dolomites, with just one day of giant slalom for the women. Moltzan punched it into 10th place in a solid first run amongst a packed field of talent, but she knew she still had a chance for a top result. She then threw down a blazing second run to turn in the second fastest second run of the day to sit in podium position.

Though Moltzan had a podium-potential run, Federica Brignone of Italy and Sara Hector of Sweden sat in first and second after first run—an expected outcome by the two giant slalom powerhouses. But New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, who was sitting in fifth place after first run, delivered an outstanding second run to move from fifth place to first by more than a half second. With bated breath, the crowd watched both Hector and Brignone, running second to last and last, DNF in front of the crowd—propelling Robinson to first, Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland to second and Moltzan to third.

Making the podium even sweeter, Moltzan’s family was in the crowd in Kronplatz, waving flags and cheering while wearing USA-branded hockey jerseys.

"My family is here and so it is so special. I think it is a great place to build off for World Championships," said Moltzan. "I think sitting in 10th after first run it is a tough place to move up from so when I had the green light at the end I am very proud of the skiing I did today." 

This achievement adds to Moltzan’s previous World Cup podiums in both parallel and slalom. Her best GS finishes prior were two fifth places at the Stifel Killington Cup and in Semmering, Austria earlier this season. With this result, she also moves into the top seven in the GS rankings, positioning herself as a strong medal contender for the upcoming World Championships in Saalbach, Austria.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team was proud of another strong overall showing: It was O’Brien’s third top 10 this season; Hurt continued to show her power with another top 15; and Hensien has been fast and consistent throughout her comeback season, scoring points in every GS she’s started this season.

"I am happy with another top 10 and another solid giant slalom result. I was totally shocked when I came into the green second run because I had some huge mistakes so I am happy and I think it is an amazing day for our team," said O'Brien. 

Elisabeth Bocock, Mary Bocock and Liv Moritz did not make a second run. Mary Bocock was skiing fast and did not finish. It was 20-year-old Moritz’s first World Cup start of her young career.

"I was probably the most nervous I've ever been," said Moritz. "My legs were a bit numb in the start but it was fun and an awesome experience." 

The women’s World Cup season continues this weekend with downhill and super-G events in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The tech team will race again in Courchevel next Thursday before the World Champs begin.

RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom

On Sunday’s slalom in Wengen, Switzerland Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ben Ritchie posted another strong finish in 18th. 

“I was really happy with my first run, thought I skied very solid and fast from my bib,” said Ritchie

Ritchie has scored slalom points this season in almost all of the World Cups building on his slalom career. He started the season with bib 46 and now has found himself currently sitting 19th in the slalom World Cup rankings. A big improvement for the slalom specialist.

It was tough conditions in Wengen for the slalom skiers but Ritchie prevailed on first run. He shot up to eighth place from bib 28 - a jump no one else made in the field. By the second run, however, the conditions became more challenging. It was difficult for the top group to keep their groove. Ritchie was in a top ten position - something he had not yet experienced on run one, so nerves ran high. Despite the added pressure, Ritchie was able to make it down solidify and claim 18th place. 

“Second run I was feeling great I just skied the bottom too safely and in a tight race like today that ended up moving me back quite a bit,” said Ricthie. “Overall it’s still a step in the right direction for me. I started the season at bib 46 and now I’m making my way into the top 30.”

Stifel U.S. Ski Team members Jett Seymour, River Radamus and Luke Winters also raced but did not make a second run. The race was a Norwegian sweep with Atle Lie Mcgrath in first, Timon Haugan in second and Henrik Kristoffersen in third. 

The slalom men will race at the famed Kitzbuhel track again in a week. 

RESULTS
men's slalom

On Sunday’s super-G in Cortina, Italy, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga paved the way for the team with a 13th place finish. Teammates Keely Cashman, Tricia Mangan and Breezy Johnson also landed in the points in 23rd, 24th and 25th. 

“I feel like it was some great skiing,” said Macuga. “There were a few too many mistakes but I am happy I was able to get another shot on this hill. Today the conditions were fantastic. The snow is so amazing and it was such a fair race.” 

The weather was a touch warmer with the sun in and out, making the light more of a challenge for the super-G racers. The Cortina surface was still solid underfoot, which created the possibility for any racer to punch it in there amongst the top women. Coming off her win in St. Anton the week earlier, Macuga held her composure with a new amount of pressure on her shoulders. While there were a few mistakes down the middle of the course, she still managed to carry speed and go into the top 15. 

Lindsey Vonn was next for the women and was on fire right out of the gate. With splits on par with a top-five or podium result, Vonn leaned in and fell. However, she is OK and skied through the finish smiling and waving to the fans. Vonn plans to keep the momentum going into Garmisch next weekend. 

Wearing higher bib numbers, Cashman, Mangan and Johnson all came down flying and punched it into the points. 

“I feel good about today. Every race I have been focused on chipping away at the points and it seems like a really good step forward,” said Cashman. “It has been so fun watching Lauren have so much success we have a great team culture and it's awesome.” 

Johnson notably went from bib 51 to 25th place to earn the Stifel Bibbo Award for her great race - on her 29th birthday no less. 

Now the women will make their way to Garmisch, Germany for the next World Cup speed series before the World Championships early February. The giant slalom women race in Kronplatz, Italy on Tuesday.

RESULTS
Women's super-G

On Saturday’s downhill in Wengen on the classic Lauberhornrennen, Bryce Bennett led the way for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men with a sixth-place finish. Ryan Cochran-Siegle was not far behind in 11th, with Sam Morse in 15th and Jared Goldberg in 16th. 

“Sixth is good,” said Bennett. “At this point in my career, I want to win this downhill so badly and I thought today was a good position but it's tough because you make one little mistake in the ‘s’ turn and it’s hard to get it back.”

The men were firing today after an unusual start to the day. The inspection was pushed back to a mere 30-minute window as winds caused massive delays at the top of what ended up being a very long day of men’s downhill. Despite the weather, the race was able to start from the top, making it the longest men’s downhill of the season. 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle ran a few bibs before Bennett and was looking to capture the speed he found in training run two. Despite his best effort, Cochran-Siegle fell short in a few sections, settling for another 11th place. Bennett ran bib 14 just after Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt skied to what would be his winning run. 

However, Bennett gave him something to worry about. On the top half of the course, Bennett was in the green up until the middle but made one little mistake that would end up costing him more. In the end, he skied to sixth place - a strong result for the veteran. 

“Overall there are a lot of good things and good skiing in there moving forward," said Bennett. "I have not really been racing my best yet so I'm finding that rhythm still. I am building more and more confidence. There were a few times where I was not anticipating the speed to be that high but I managed it alright I thought." 

Sam Morse also had a great day and landed in 15th place. Jared Goldberg showed his speed coming up from bib 34 to 16th place as well. The U.S. men showed their speed, making a statement before they head to the famed Hahnenkammrennen in Kitzbuhel next weekend. They're hungry for so much more. 

“It’s good but it's not enough, especially with this talent right now. I am excited to move forward to the next races,” said Bennett. 

Odermatt took the win, while second place went to Swiss youngster Franjo Von Allmen with Slovenian Miha Rhobat in third. 

RESULTS
Men's downhill

On Saturday’s Cortina World Cup downhill, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Jackie Wiles showed her talent on the hill again placing seventh - a season high for the downhiller.

It was another sunny and gorgeous day in the Italian Dolomites, and the women’s downhill field came in ready to compete. The surface could not have been more perfect with not even a dent in the snow after two training runs.

The track is famed for its steep sections, rollers and terrain elements, making it a true test of speed and technicality. Wiles ran with bib one and had a solid game plan to execute her day. She pushed hard over the terrain and every jump to find herself in the top 10. 

“It felt like a solid run. I really needed a solid result this season so I am really happy with the run that I put down,” said Wiles. “It is typical amazing Cortina with the surface great and a lot of terrain that flows super well. This is such a classic track we love it here and it is so nice to be here before the Olympics.” 

Numerous Stifel U.S. Ski Team women also landed in the points. St. Anton’s super-G winner Lauren Macuga had a solid day in 16th. Lindsey Vonn was skiing well but had a mistake at the end of her run and landed in 20th. Breezy Johnson was also skiing extremely fast but unfortunately got low in a few places and ended up 22nd. Finally Keely Cashman landed 28th place. She also claimed the Stifel Bibbo Award for her jump from bib 44. 

“It was really fun. It is so nice to be back here and it is probably the most fun downhill,” said Vonn. “I am a little bit disappointed with my mistake today. I think I was poised for another top five result but you know that’s what happens in ski racing. I don't have a ton of time in downhill gates and there has been a lot going on so I am trying to get into a good rhythm.” 

The Italian fans sure had something to cheer about as Sofia Goggia dominated the field, taking the win in Cortina by 0.42 seconds. She was joined by fellow Italian racehorse Federica Brignone in third place. Second place was snagged by Norwegian Kajsa Lie. 

The women will now set their sights on super-G. It is going to be an exciting race as the weather and surface are expected to once again be in top tier condition. 

RESULTS
Women's downhill
 

HOW TO WATCH 
5:00 a.m. ET - women's super-G, Cortina, ITA - skiandsnowboard.live

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle showed strong skiing in Friday’s super-G race in Wengen, Switzerland, finishing in 11th place.

Cochran-Siegle was just shy of the top 10, a testament to his consistency and skill in one of the most demanding disciplines on the World Cup circuit. The speed skier was coming off two solid downhill training runs the days before.

"Overall I am happy with my skiing today," said Cochran-Siegle. "It was a little bit hard starting later in the seed with the track as it got pretty bumpy but I liked how I skied and I felt like I was driving in the turn had a good race mentality."

It was a classic sunny and gorgeous afternoon in the Swiss Alps with the speed men all vying to stand atop the podium at one of the classic speed tracks. Cochran-Siegle ran with bib 18 and had ample time to hear the reports on conditions to figure out his ideal line. 

"It is a long track but there are only a few sections you really have to nail so taking that experience with me for tomorrow," added Cochran-Siegle. "It is also my best super-G result so far this season and it just shows that you have to ski really solid top to bottom."

Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammates Sam Morse, River Radamus and Bryce Bennett also found themselves in the super-G points in 27th, 29th and 30th, respectively. Jared Goldberg, Kyle Negomir and Wiley Maple also raced and ended up in 36th, 38th and 45th. 

The Swiss continued to show their depth as young Franjo Von Allmen claimed his first World Cup win, with Austrian veteran Vincent Kreichmayr in second and Swiss Stefan Rogentin in third. 

The men will switch gears to downhill on the longest downhill track in the world. The men posted some strong training runs and are sure to push hard on Saturday. 

"For downhill, I have good confidence and know that I can create speed when I am committed. The conditions look great so I am hoping for the best," said Cochran-Siegle. 

The men will be racing at 6:30 a.m. ET. Watch live and demand on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G

Under the lights at the women’s classic night slalom in Flachau, Austria, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Paula Moltzan led the charge for the team in sixth place. Nina O’Brien also posted her first slalom points of the season in 20th, respectively. 

“I am happy I feel like I found a little piece of me again which has been missing for a few weeks,” said Moltzan. 

It was a perfect night for the slalom, with Austrian crowds in full force lining the sides of the hill. The World Cup athletes gave the fans something to cheer for, met with solid conditions and a long slalom course set. On run one, Austrian Katharina Liensberger blew the field away by almost a second up from the second-place position. Moltzan ran 15 and was on pace with the winning time, setting a strong pace through all sections of the course. Despite a minor bobble, Moltzan kept her time within the top 10. 

Hurt and O’Brien also showed strong skiing in the first run, with O’Brien going up from bib 45 to 21st, with Hurt in 20th. 

The second run course set was nice and smooth for the women. Hurt and O’Brien ran back-to-back, making way for an exciting few minutes of racing. When she finished, O’Brien was just off the pace but still landed nicely into fifth place. Hurt was pushing hard but unfortunately fell and did not finish.

“I am very happy to score my first slalom point of the season,” said O’Brien. “There have definitely been some tough days in slalom so I feel relieved and satisfied.”  

Finally, it was time for Moltzan. With roars from the immense crowd of 20,000, Moltzan skied aggressively over the tricky rollers on the hill with a commanding green light at each split and crossed the finish line in the green. She immediately skied up to her crew of Moltzan family and friends before being welcomed into the finish by her teammates. Moltzan settled for sixth place - a great day for the Minnesota native. 

“It feels really good to do this at night and with my family here," said Moltzan. "I obviously still have a lot to go but we are getting closer to where I want to be. A green light always feels good so to see that green was amazing.”

Ultimately the win went to Swiss Camille Rast and second place to Swiss Wendy Holdener. Third place went to Swedish skier Sara Hector. 

Katie Hensien of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team also raced but did not finish the first run. Independent skier Kendahl Roufa landed in 49th on the first run. The women’s tech team will switch gears to giant slalom next Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Kronplatz, Italy. 

RESULTS
Women's slalom

It was another strong top-10 performance for Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus, landing in 10th place in the classic Adelboden giant slalom race. 

The crowd could not be more loud and electric as the best giant slalom skiers in the world took to the slope on Sunday. It was an atypical schedule this season as the slalom fell on the normal giant slalom Saturday due to poor weather conditions. Nonetheless the crowd was just as animated and electric as if it were a Saturday. 

The U.S. men threw three in the top 30 after run one with a strong run by Tommy Ford, who sat in 13th. Radamus struggled to find the rhythm and ended up in 19th. Independent skier Patrick Kenney also had a good run, moving from bib 41 to 26th place.

The course sets between the two runs could not be more different. The first run was extremely turny and exhausting, while the second run showed more speed -- favoring those who do both giant slalom and super-G. Radamus had a swift second run that ultimately led him to a 10th place position. Kenney landed in 21st overall, while Ford unfortunately did not finish.

“Today I am not completely satisfied, but excited about my second run,” said Radamus. “As always the last pitch was challenging and it was a place to separate time-wise. I was proud of my second run and overall much better performance. I will take that into Wengen. Hoping to soon put down two good runs in a row.”

The Swiss had something to cheer about as Marco Odermatt once again claimed the victory. Second place went to his teammate Loic Meillard and third place was handed to Italian Luca De Aliprandini. 

Next the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men’s giant slalom team will head to Schladming January 28 for a night race, while the speed team and slalom racers will move to Wengen for a downhill, super-G and slalom January 17-19.

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga won her first ever World Cup in the St. Anton super-G, marking her first podium and the first time any U.S. woman has won a super-G in St. Anton. Lindsey Vonn also continued her impressive comeback with a fourth-place finish -- just off the podium. 

“I can’t believe it, this is so exciting!” said Macuga. “I don’t think anything has settled in. I am waiting for it to hit me. This is something I have been dreaming about forever.” 

The weather was brisk and overcast for the second day of women’s speed. After a solid day of downhill the day before, the women were fired up and ready to execute on super-G day. It was an exciting day on the track with some close misses to the net and interchanging leaderboard moments, but no one held a candle to Macuga. 

From the start, Macuga had the course on lock, remaining in the green at each interval and continuing to build. The finish suddenly went silent as they saw Macuga coming down, ready to overtake the top step. She crossed the line over a half-second into the lead, giving her classic dance in the finish as the emotions started to settle in on what she had just done. 

“Normally you hear the roar of the crowd when crossing the finish line and it was kind of silent and I was like oh no maybe I did really bad, but I knew I was charging,” said Macuga. “Seeing the green light I was like no way. It did not feel real. It still does not feel real. I am looking at the scoreboard in disbelief.” 

Next it was Vonn. The light started to shift, creating a very dark and bumpy course. Regardless, Vonn charged in line for a podium-level performance. The whole crowd was on the edge of their seats as she crossed the line into fourth place for another incredible performance as she makes her World Cup comeback.

“It was a crazy run today. It was really bumpy, it was sunny, then it got dark,” said Vonn. “But it was a really good step forward. This is something I am really proud of and I am also really proud of Lauren. It is really nice to be a part of such a fun team. It's great to see another American on top of the podium.”  

It was not just a day for Macuga and Vonn, but the whole team. The other women could not be more proud of their teammate as they tackled Macuga to the ground once they found her in the finish. The women's speed team has found a new groove and plans to continue this feeling the rest of the season. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Jackie Wiles and Keely Cashman also landed in the points in 24th and 28th, respectively. Tricia Mangan and Halely Culter ended up in 33rd and 39th. Bella Wright and Breezy Johnson did not finish but are OK. 

The women will now take this momentum to a team favorite in Cortina, Italy for a downhill and super-G, Jan. 18-19. 

RESULTS
Women's super-G